Kate Dearden  

Senior Associate

Executive Summary

Kate Dearden (Zavitz) is a senior associate in our Toronto office. Kate practises labour and employment law, as well as human rights and education law. She has appeared as employer and/or defence counsel before the Ontario Divisional Court, Superior Court of Justice, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Ontario Labour Relations Board and labour arbitrations, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, and various other labour and employment related tribunals.

Kate joined BLG after having summered and articled with the Firm.

Representative Work

  • Advising management clients on employment matters such as provincial legislation, policies and contracts, wrongful dismissal claims, health and safety, injunctions, and investigations.
  • Advising on labour relations matters in such areas as grievance arbitration, collective agreement interpretation, certification applications, and unfair labour practice applications.
  • Advising and advocating on behalf of public sector organizations (boards of education, post-secondary institutions, hospitals and health-related entities, and not-for-profit corporations).

Publications & Presentations

  • Author, “Cannabis Legislation”, OPC (Ontario Principals’ Council) Register, Summer 2018 Vol. 20 No. 2.
  • Co-Presenter, "Cannabis on Campus" CAPSLE (Canadian Association for Practical Study of Law in Education), April 29, 2018.
  • Assistant Editor, Employment Law: Practical Solutions for the Canadian Workplace, BLG and Specialty Technical Publishers.
  • Author, "Cannabis Legislation Likely Delayed to End of Summer 2018," Education Law News, Winter 2018.
  • Author, "Ontario Introduces Cannabis Legislation," Education Law News, Fall 2017.
  • Speaker, "A Complete Guide to Employment Law", Human Resources Professionals Association, November 8, 2017.
  • Co-Presenter, "Proposed Changes to the Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act - What Every Employer Needs to Know," BLG L&E Breakfast Club, June 16, 2017.
  • Author, "New Regime for Marijuana Will Impact Canadian Schools," Education Law News, Summer 2017 and published in CAPSLE Comments, September 2017, Volume 27, No. 1.
  • Author, "Commission Releases Policy Statement on Religious Accommodation in Schools," Education Law News, Summer 2017 and published in CAPSLE Comments,  June 2017, Volume 26, No. 4
  • Speaker, "A Complete Guide to Employment Law", Human Resources Professionals Association, May 17, 2017.
  • Panelist, "Cross Country Legal Round Up", CAPSLE (Canadian Association for Practical Study of Law in Education), May 2, 2017.
  • Co-Presenter, "Medical Marijuana in Canadian Schools" CAPSLE (Canadian Association for Practical Study of Law in Education), April 30, 2017.
  • Author, "Disabled worker wins discrimination claim after being denied coverage for medical marijuana", Canadian Employment Law Today, March 16, 2017.
  • Author, "2017: Looking Ahead," BLG Labour and Employment News, January 2017.
  • Author, "Cannabis Report Recommendations Would Delay Legalization to 2018 or 2019," Education Law News, Winter 2017.
  • Author, "No Drug or Alcohol Testing after employee hits parked car," BLG Labour and Employment News, February 2016.
  • Author, "Court Dismisses Track Student's Negligence Lawsuit Against School Board, Track Coach and Principal," Education Law News, October 2014 and published in CAPSLE Comments, September 2016, Volume 25, No.1
  • Author, "Hot Off the (Thumb) Press", BLG Labour and Employment NEWS,  October, 2015.
  • Author, "Scary Amount of Punitive Damages Ordered Against 'Mean And Cheap' Employer," BLG Labour and Employment NEWS, October, 2015.
  • Author, "Court Approves Police Search of Cell Phone Used in Teacher Parking Lot Drug Deals," Education Law Newsletter, Fall 2015.
  • Co-Author, "OLRB Rules Local Strikes Unlawful, While Government Proceeds With Back-To-Work Legislation," Education Law Newsletter, Spring 2015.
  • Author, "Ontario Passes New Law on Asthma Inhalers in Schools," Education Law Newsletter, Spring 2015.
  • Co-Author, "Quebec High School Criticized for Student Strip Search," Education Law Newsletter, Spring 2015.
  • Author, "Supreme Court of Canada Creates New Test for Police to Search Cell Phones without a Warrant," Education Law Newsletter, Winter 2015.
  • Co-Author, "Supreme Court of Canada Decision on the Right to Strike Could have an Impact on the Education Sector," Education Law Newsletter, Winter 2015.
  • Author, Effective October 29, 2014, Ontario Employees Entitled to Three Additional Unpaid Leaves From Work," BLG Labour and Employment Law News, Summer 2014.
  • Author, "Government Proposes to Amend Key Labour and Employment Legislation," BLG Client Alert, December, 2013.
  • Author, "Hospital Employee Vaccinations," Hospital News and HospitalNews.com, August, 2013.
  • Presenter, "An Educator's Guide to the Digital World at School," Ontario School Board Insurance Exchange (OSBIE) Risk Management Seminar, October 29, 2015.
  • Presenter, "Standing in the Fire of Human Rights Challenges," Regional Special Education Council/Regional Supervisory Officers' Curriculum Council Annual Meeting, January 31, 2014.
  • Presenter, "Human Rights and Special Education: a Legal Update," LAWWORKS at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, November 6, 2014.
  • Presenter, "Privacy in a School Setting," Conference of Independent Schools, February 13, 2013.
  • Co-Presenter, "Workplace Investigations," Federated Press Presentation, April 10, 2013.
  • Co-Presenter, "Privacy in a School Setting," CAPSLE (Canadian Association for Practical Study of Law in Education), May 6, 2013.
  • Presenter, "Privacy in Canadian Schools: a Legal Update," LAWWORKS at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, November 7, 2013.
  • Co-Presenter, "Principles and Applications of Health Law," Ontario Hospital Association, Employment Law presentation, November 15, 2013.